The National tribune., 1887-12-01

they could git him through another hard Win
ter. If he died the Squire could never buy
'nuther Niger, for the success with which he'd
alters managed to pick out the slOwest boss on
the track, an to hold queens when the other
Teller held aces, had saddled a blanket mortgage
on bout everything that he owned.
ellie begin to think that his chances wuz
inproyin', for S'phrony'd occasionally call him
Lie and hint that she might really be a sis
ter to him. Then the gander-pullin' give him
q setback. S'phrOny wuz there, an Lie d
built great hopes on captivatin' her by shown
off how much better BOSNIAN he wuz than any
o. the rest o. the boys on the Crick. He rid his
young thorobred that day on purpose, for he
thOt it wuz the finest boss in all that country.
When S'phrOny saw him slide often the critters
back ez if it wuz creased, an set down on the
ground ez if he wuz tryin' to bust q hole
through the limestone formation, while every
body haw-hawed an the gals all looked at her
and snickered, her face got ez red ez fire. Ole
Nelse come up to her an axed her when he
should git the yttles out for lunch, an she give
him a cut with her ridin' whip, an called him
an impedent. sassy nigger-said she'd h6T him
tuck up an give dozen when they got home,
so she would.
After the meetin' wuz over Lie went up
to her rather sheepishly, an axed if he might
have the pleasure o. seein' her safe home. She
turned her big blue eyes on him with a most
despisin' look, an said, or cold ez a Jenyouary
frost
80 Mr.. Hathaway, you'd better bespeak some
one who kin stick on boss to go along with
you an see you safe home. I'll send my boy
Nelse along with you if you can't get no one
else. I'll not trust myself to the care o. no man
who is lierble to fall often his critter at any
mint. / don't want to have to get off an pull
him Outen some mud hole. Willyum Trego,
will you be so perlite ez to help me onto my
mare?'
"A big storm wuz comm ez the meetin' broke
up, an by the time Squire Tulkinhorn an his
party reached my house it wuz rainin' so hard
that they all come in an waited an hour or so
till the storm was over. Lie stopt at his
aunt's down the road, an came ridin' up ez the
party started from my house. Bout a mile
from my house they had TO ford the Crick. The
Dog Fennel wuz jest ragin'. 1t only takes a
cloud bout ez big ez a bandana handkerchief
passin' over the headwaters to make her bank
full.
esquire Tulkinhorn, S'phrony, Bill Trego an
Lie got across the ford all right, but when ole
NeIse come a'ter on the ole spawned crowbait,
which tOted besides the saddle-bags with
the dishes an what wuz left o. the lunch, the
current took the critter often his feet quicker'n
you could say scat an the next thing they
knOwed ole Nelse wuz clingin' to a willer that
leaned over from aa island in the middle o. the
him. 'Liiehad rid on, but started back ez soon
ez he heered the yelIin'.
Mr. TregO,' said the Squire, in his usual
commandin' way, ride in there, please an pull
that boy out. My hOss's afeared o. the water.
Not if | know myself, an / think / do,
sed Bill Trego. calmly for he wuz q very pru-
dent man. I've wife an six children, an
don't take no sich resk5. / know that place
There's deep hole there, over a mans head
Git out your own niger
Mr.. Hathaway said S'phrony, ez Lie rid
up. won't you please ride in there an pull
/ Nelse Out?'
So Mister Hathaway, did you say?' he asked
loo<in' at the darky bobbin' on the willer like
q big catfish at the end Of hickory pole.
Elijah Hathaway she said, mellerin
down little, PlI be a sister to you ez long el
/ you live if you'll save Nelse
""Taint 'nough,' he said, studyin' the watel
keerfully; i've had my Eli o. the sister biz
/ ness
"The willer sagged down an the yaller watel
rolled over Nelse's bald head, but he came VI
| agin, sputterin' and yellin'.
Lie Sphrony said, 'Pll marry you in
side of a week if you'll get Nelse out alive
Its bargain said Lie He rid his hos
! across to the head Of the little island an theI